Side steering propeller



Oct. 3, 1950 E. WIGGINS SIDE STEERING PROPELLER Filed Aug. 3, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATI'DRN EYS Oct. 3, 1950 E. WIGGINS SIDE STEERING PROPELLER Filed Aug. 5, 1.948

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEYS- Patented Oct. 3 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OE FICE SIDE STEERING PROPELLER Earl Wiggins, Fort Myers, Fla.

Application August 3, 1948, Serial No. 42,320

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a docking propeller device for ships.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a gearing propeller device adapted to be mounted on the sides of ships whereby the ship can be turned without a rudder or be forced laterally through the water whereby it can be better manipulated into a dock and whereby to eliminate the necessity for the attachment to the ship of tugs and wherein the docking device can be mounted in the side of the ship without weakening any part of the same and wherein the docking propeller is adjusted between extended and retracted positions by an electrical motor of the reversible type and a power driven screw, the power screw coming to a stop automatically when the propeller has been extended or when the same has been completely retracted into the cone on the side of the ship for containing the propeller.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a steering propeller device which is electrically operated and adjusted in an extended or retracted position, which is of simple construction, may be installed as a unit within a ship, which has a cone for containing the propeller when retracted, inexpensive to manufacture, compact, adapted to be fitted into the ship structure without consuming space and without weakening the ship, is not dependent upon the ship propelling shaft for its power, does not require gates or the like on the side of the ship which have to be operated to extend or retract the propeller and eificient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a ship with the side propeller devices of the present invention mounted fore and aft on the side of the ship.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view looking into the bottom of the ship and in plan upon the several side steering devices.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, in elevation, looking upon one of the steering propeller devices and illustrating the manner in which the propeller is extended into and out of the cone on the side peller devices to utilize the same to withdraw bilge water. 7

Referring now to the figures, lll'represents'a ship having the usual propeller ll and steering matter l2. Theship also has top decks l4 and V,

a pilot house 15. On each side of the ship there is mounted, at fore and aftfends of the same, a steering propeller device I 6. There are two of these devices on each side of the ship as seen more clearly in Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 3, 4 and. 5, the propelling device l6 comprises a stand I8 on which is mounted a bearing bracket l9 and. an electric motor 2| which is coupled by a coupling 22 to a telescopic shaft 23 having an inner shaft section 24 adapted to 'be extended out -.of a sleeve .25 journalled in the bearing bracket l9. The shaft element 24 extends through a long bearing portion 21 of a cone 28 welded to the inner side of shipplate 29 as indicated at 3|. To this shaft there is connected an enlargement. or trunnion sleeve 32 having trunnion projections 33. The sleeve is held on the shaft against displacement thereon by set collars 34 and 35. I

On the outer end of the shaft element 24 is fixed a propeller element 35. This element can be extended to thedotted line position as shown in Fig. 3 and driven by the electric motor 2| while in that position. Below the stand 18 is a base 38 on which is mounted a reversible motor 39, toggle stop switches 4| and 42 adapted to be operated by a projection43 of anadjustable member 44 on screw 45 which is operated by the moswitch 42 will be operated at the end of the stroke. When the propeller 35 is retracted, the

toggle switch 4! will be operated. The toggle switches will stop the electric motor 39. The stand 18 and the base 38 rest upon a fioor 48 of the ship.

Referring now to the wiring diagram in Fig. 6, there is shown the toggle switches 4| and 42, a reversing switch 49 for the motor 39. As the reversing switch 48 is thrown, connections will be made to reverse the flow of current through a field winding forming a part of the motor. Current is delivered to the motor through source wires 50 and The field circuit will be opened by the stop switches 41 and 42 depending upon the direction to which the propeller is being extended.

The cone 28 is welded to the ship at a location where it will be below the water line at all times. There is one of these devices disposed at both port and starboard sides and both the fore and aft ends of the ship. These units will be electrically controlled from the pilot house.

To install one of these units when the ship is placed in dry dock, a hole of the proper size is cut in the side of the ship and the cone 28 is welded therewithin. The size of the unit will depend upon the size of the particular ship on which the unit is to be used.

The device will be used for steering in case of emergency at sea when the rudder breaks. The forward units will be used at this time. The device will also be helpful to make quick turns to avoid collisions with other ships. The action would be much faster than is a rudder. The units are electrically controlled and operated and are not dependent upon power from the propeller shaft of the ship or from auxiliary engines.

In Fig. 7, there is shown the bilge pump arrangement. A pipe 55 is connected between two propeller devices located respectively upon the opposite sides of the ship. Adjacent the connection of the pipe with the cone of the propeller device is a safety valve 56. At the bottom of the ship and between the pipe ends is a bypass valve 51. With this bypass valve 51 open, water can flow through the pipe in the direction of the device which is operating. This helps the operation of the device and prevents air pockets from forming in the cone 28. The propeller does not have to be extended so far.

To operate the arrangement as a pump, the bypass valve 51 may be closed and either or both of bilge valves 58 may be opened. The valve 58 is in an extension 59 having a strainer 6| on its end. This strainer lies in the bottom of the ship. In an emergency where there is a leak in the ship, this arrangement will prove extremely valuable. The arrangement may also be used to permit the entry of water into the bottom of the ship. The safety valves can thereupon be opened and likewise either one or both of the valves 58 in the pipe extensions can be opened.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A side steering propeller device for ships comprising a cone adapted to be fitted over an opening in the side of a ship and secured to the ship plate, a telescopic shaft arrangement ex- 4 tending into the end of the cone, a propeller element on the shaft adapted to be drawn into the cone, said shaft being adjustable to extend the propeller element out of the cone and removed from the exterior of the ship, a, rotary power device connected to the telescopic shaft to driv the same, and power means connected to the telescopic shaft to adjust the same through the cone and stop devices associated with the power means to arrest its action at the end of the extending stroke and upon reaching its retracted position within the cone, said cone having a long central bearing portion receiving the telescopic shaft, said bearing portion extending more than half the distance from the small end of the cone toward the wide end of the cone, and said shaft having a trunnion sleeve fixed to said power means including a reversible electric motor, a lever pivoted for rotation in a vertical plane and connected to the trunnion sleeve, a threaded power screw connected to the electric motor, a sleeve operable on the power screw, said lever connected to the threaded element on the power sleeve, and said stop devices comprising switch elements positioned in the path of travel of said threaded element at the end of the stroke of the element .in either direction, circuits leading from said switch elements to said reversible motor so that when the threaded element on the power sleeve engages either one of theswitch elements the circuit will be opened and the motor stopped.

2. A docking arrangement for ships comprising a propeller device connected to each side of the ship, each propeller device having a cone, a shaft extending through the cone, a propeller on the shaft, and an electric motor for driving the shaft, a pipe arrangement connected to the propeller devices and between the respective cones thereof whereby when one of the devices is operating, water may be taken from the other device and drawn by the one device through the cone thereof, whereby to eliminate the formation of an air pocket in the .cone, 'a valve in the pipe at each end thereof and adjacent the connection of the end with the cone, and a bypass valve in the pipe, pipe extensions extending into the bottom of the ship and disposed respectively at the opposite sides of the bypass valve, a bilge valve in each extension whereby bilge water can be removed by the propeller devices at the opposite sides of the ship.

EARL W'IGGINS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 471,212 Emery Mar. 22, 1892 873,818 Wilke Dec. 1'7, 1907 1,089,391 Blatzer et al Mar. 10, 1914 1,319,182 Sitney Oct. 21, 1919 1,897,524 McEachern Feb. 14, 1933 1,944,242 Johnson Jan. 23, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 24,646 Great Britain Nov. 3, 1906 

